Battle of Valmaseda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Valmaseda |
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| Part of the Peninsular War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Empire |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Eugene-Casimir Villatte |
Joaquín Blake |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 13,000 | 24,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 300 killed or wounded 300 captured baggage train captured |
50 killed or wounded | ||||||
The Battle of Valmaseda was a fight that happened on November 5, 1808. It was part of the Peninsular War, a big conflict where France fought against Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain. This battle took place near Valmaseda, a town in northern Spain.
During this battle, Spanish forces led by General Joaquín Blake surprised a French army group. The Spanish army was retreating but suddenly turned around to attack. They ambushed a part of the French army, winning an important victory.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The Peninsular War began when Napoleon invaded Spain. Before Valmaseda, there was a battle called Battle of Zornoza. In that battle, the French commander, Marshal François Joseph Lefebvre, failed to completely defeat the Spanish army. General Blake managed to escape with his soldiers.
The French army then made more mistakes. General Victor, another French commander, let his troops spread out too much. He thought the Spanish army was already beaten. This made his forces vulnerable to a surprise attack.
Who Fought in the Battle
The main forces involved were the French and the Spanish armies.
French Forces
The French army was led by Major-General Eugene-Casimir Villatte. He commanded the 3rd Division of the French IV Corps. This group had about 13,000 soldiers. They were mostly infantry, which means foot soldiers, and they also had some artillery (cannons).
Spanish Forces
The Spanish army was called the Army of Galicia. It was led by General Joaquín Blake. His army was much larger, with about 24,000 soldiers.
The Spanish army was made up of several groups:
- Five infantry divisions, led by generals like Figueroa, Martinengo, and Riquelme.
- A special group called the vanguard, led by General Mendizabal.
- A reserve group, led by General Nicolás Mahy.
- An Asturian Division.
- They also had 1,000 gunners with 38 cannons and 300 cavalry (soldiers on horseback).
The Battle Unfolds
General Victor of the French army tried to trap a Spanish group called the Asturian Division. This group had separated from General Blake's main army. However, General Blake was clever and turned the tables. He set a trap for the French instead.
On November 5, General Villatte's French division, which was ahead of the other French groups, walked right into Blake's trap. The Spanish army launched a sudden and strong attack. This surprise attack forced the French out of Valmaseda.
Even though their leaders had made mistakes, the French soldiers were very disciplined. General Villatte refused to give up. He quickly formed his troops into squares, a defensive formation. This allowed them to fight their way out of the Spanish trap. Despite their escape, the Spanish captured 300 French soldiers and one cannon.
During the French retreat, the Asturian Division, which Victor had tried to trap, found and captured most of Villatte's baggage train. This included supplies and equipment.
A few days later, on November 8, General Victor returned and recaptured Valmaseda. He attacked Blake's rearguard, killing or wounding 150 Spanish soldiers and capturing 600 more.
What Happened Next
When Napoleon heard about the battle, he was very angry. He was shocked that his powerful army had lost, even a small battle, to what he called "an army of bandits." He strongly criticized General Victor for being careless.
However, General Victor later made up for his mistake. Two weeks after Valmaseda, he finally defeated General Blake at the Battle of Espinosa. The Peninsular War continued with other important events, like the Siege of Roses.
See also
